Action needed as 12% of working age adults have no qualifications: Roberts

October 20, 2011 1:19 PM

As new Welsh Government statistics show that 12% of working age adults have no qualifications, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Education, Aled Roberts has called for the Welsh Government to give extra priority to those who want to develop skills later in life and to make sure that all school leavers have basic skills to equip them in the working environment.

Aled stated:

"It is worrying to me that 12% of working age adults in Wales have no qualifications at all. In an era where the job market is increasingly competitive and in a time where people no longer have jobs for life I would call on the Government to help those without any qualifications to learn the basic skills to get them into the workforce.

"With just 39% of people with no qualifications having a job, allowing not only those who have been made redundant but providing incentives for those who have not worked for a long time to develop their skills and ambitions is crucial for the future of Wales.

"We have seen recently that the number of adults studying part-time has fallen dramatically, the Government must look at the way it is funding Further Education to make sure it is allowing colleges to provide the courses that students and employers want, across a wide range of skill levels.